What is the issue addressed in this article?
More than half of black and hispanic applicants for teaching jobs in MA have failed a cruicial state licensing test, the writing portion to be exact.
What was the main point of this article?
52% of Hispanics and 54% of blacks failed the writing portion compared to a 23% failure rate among whites. The state lawyers are fighting to lower the results among minorities. A lawyer is suing the state department of education because 3 of his clients, who are in the minority, failed this test multiple times.
What have we read that relates to this topic?
Diversity is a relation, for one. The minorities shouldn't get an easier standard just because the state's want diversity in their schools. The only reason why the schools are going for this issue is because they want to show that they have diversity in their schools.
What opinions did the group have about this issue?
Diversity is important but not essential. The minorities are not flunking on purpose, but maybe we need to improve our preperation mechanisms in the schools for this test. You shouldn't make the test easier, just change what you're teaching in test.
Discussion Moderator: Kevin Phelan Discussion Recorder/Poster: Tory Waldeisen
Title of Article: More Than Half of Minority Teacher Applicants Fail Test
Author: Boston Globe
Source: Boston Globe Online? Yes.
What is the issue addressed in this article?
More than half of black and hispanic applicants for teaching jobs in MA have failed a cruicial state licensing test, the writing portion to be exact.
What was the main point of this article?
52% of Hispanics and 54% of blacks failed the writing portion compared to a 23% failure rate among whites. The state lawyers are fighting to lower the results among minorities. A lawyer is suing the state department of education because 3 of his clients, who are in the minority, failed this test multiple times.
What have we read that relates to this topic?
Diversity is a relation, for one. The minorities shouldn't get an easier standard just because the state's want diversity in their schools. The only reason why the schools are going for this issue is because they want to show that they have diversity in their schools.
What opinions did the group have about this issue?
Diversity is important but not essential. The minorities are not flunking on purpose, but maybe we need to improve our preperation mechanisms in the schools for this test. You shouldn't make the test easier, just change what you're teaching in test.
Discussion Moderator: Kevin Phelan
Discussion Recorder/Poster: Tory Waldeisen